6 Pride and Greed

Humanity, as well as the Connection, defines one as a Gob or Enlightened based on their potential progeny. As long as a Gob is involved in the coupling, a Proto-Gob will be born after a one month gestation period. When orcs, dark elves, and other broad classifications of evolution began forming peaceful communities that no longer birthed Proto-Gobs, we were forced to change our worldview for the second time in the new era and began to refer to them as Enlightened.

The name did not come into use because of any inherit peaceful nature, but the introspective quality and unique brand of empathy they all possessed.

The brutish nature of the world was only beginning when the Enlightened entered the fray, however, as hive minds, monstrous lizards, bloodthirsty Nagas, and other creatures began to kill, rape, and pillage for fun. They knew they hurt others and for they most part? They didn't care.

To this day, many scholars claim that if we treated them differently back then, on more of a case-by-case basis, the peaceful minded ones wouldn't currently have the kill on sight order for them.

-Exert from "Chronicle of the Gob," by the Avalon Institute of the former UK, 842 FE.

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Carrying the carcass to the cave was tough. The weak Proto-Gob was panting from exhaustion, but happily accepted the stat growth as he got close to his dwelling.

[Body] raised from 0.2 to 0.4

Obb carried the bird with pride, but was stopped by two Black Goblins.

"Looks like you got lucky, whelp!" one yelled as they watched him come to the cave entrance.

"You must have not seen the last Goblin I killed," Odd glared.

He was just a weakling, but if the Black Goblins were smarter than the average dog, they would have realized that Proto-Gobs don't wear clothes or carry knives.

This one did though.

Hell, the leader had a stone hatchet, but everyone else was equipped with nothing more than sticks. This place was a small outpost, they hunted for things as they were told and made more Gobs. All of the breeding vessels they were given them by the stronger Gobs in the first place.

All it took was the crackling of some Yin Lighting for the two to back up and let him pass. Intimidating the weaklings had Odd feeling on top of the world. 'Power,' he thought to himself as he looked at his hands.

Melisandra was where he left her and she sprouted the widest grin that Odd had ever seen on the woman. Since her hands were chained, Odd fed her as she ravenously devoured the meal.

As she finished there was a decent amount left when Roark came over and grabbed it without a word.

Odd gaped at the boss. He knew the hierarchy, he knew he should stay in his place, but he worked hard for that.

It shouldn't be a concern for him anymore, Roark claimed it.

But the pretty mermaid cooked it for his mother and he didn't even get a taste of it because he was so concerned with bringing it back to her.

It was his. His hands crackled with power as he glared at the large Goblin's back.

"Odd."

A commanding voice from behind him broke him from his trance.

"Do you think you even have a chance?" the Abyssal Elf asked rhetorically.

Odd grunted before he sat down in front of his mother. He couldn't help but notice his prideful thoughts and what the mermaid said about him.

"I want you to be mine, how do we help you escape?" Odd asked.

"The fuck, yours? Why would I want to be the plaything of some ugly midget" Melisandra retorted back at him.

"I dunno. I just... a mermaid told me I was weird for wanting to take you but not the others. And I knew she wouldn't want me either because I'm ugly and weak like you say, but I'll evolve to change that! I promise!" he said with conviction.

"A mermaid. And it talked to you?" Melisandra wondered. They're nowhere near the ocean and they don't usually meet humanoids. "Well, good luck with that, I don't have an incest kink, but whatever," she waved off the thought.

"To get the keys to these chains though? I noticed these Gobs aren't trusted worth shit, so they don't even have the keys. If the slaves die, they can just rip the limbs off. The keys should be with the higher ups, away from this outpost. The whole situation sucks ass," the Abyssal Elf complained.

"Hmm, then I will evolve quick and figure out what to do in four days, so just hold on, mom."

"Whatever, quit with that sentimental bullshit, not that you care I was forced to sprout you from my loins."

They sat together for a while speaking of what Yin Lightning was capable when it passed new bottlenecks, what defenses and creatures that might have the keys to the chains, and how the leader of this tribe is a tier 4 along with a few of his top lieutenants in a base full of tier 3's.

By the time night came along, the foot tall creature fell asleep cuddling the dark elf's bosom.